Dancing toy.



G. W. CLARK.

DANCING TOY. APPLICATION nun JAN.12, 1911.

Patented May 9, 1911.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. CLARK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO B. C. CROWLEY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DANCIN'G TOY.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES IV. CLARK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, Kings county, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dancing Toys, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in dancing toys and more particularly to that type in which a figure having jointed arms and legs is resiliently supported above a platform which may be made to vibrate.

The main object of my invention is to simplify the construction and reduce the cost of manufacture so as to be able to manufacture a very eflicient toy of this character at a minimum expense.

One of the main features of my invention is the simple method which I employ for supporting the figure and the platform from the base. To do this I employ two springs, one which has one end directly secured to the platform to constitute the sole support of the latter and the other has one end secured to the body of the figure so as to constitute the sole support for said figure. The two springs have their opposite ends secured to the platform and furthermore secured by the use of a single securing member so that the platform and the figure may be secured to the base by a single operation.

A further important feature of my invention is the means which I employ for securing the arms to the body so that each arm will swing with a rolling movement through a curved plane as the figure dances. In

' other words, the arms as they swing either forwardly or rearwardly from the intermediate or normal position approacheach other.

Ot r important features will be referred to more fully hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar reference numerals represent corresponding parts in both of the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a dancing toy constructed in accordance with my invention, a portion of the base being broken Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 12, 1911.

Patented May 9, 1911.

Serial No. 602,208.

away; and Fig. 2 is a front View, a portion of the clothing of the toy being broken away.

In the specific form illustrated, I employ a base 10, which may be of wood or other suitable material, but which is of such size and such weight as to prevent the toy from being easily tipped over. The figure forming a part of the toy may be carved, out or pressed in any desired manner either comic, grotesque, or otherwise. The figure might even be the figure of an animal rather than a person. For the purpose of economy in manufacture and also to produce the desired sound, I preferably form parts of the figure of blocks of wood connected together by suitable staples. The figure includes a body portion 11, two upper leg sections 12 and 13, two lower leg sections 11 and 15 and two arms 16 and 17. The lower leg sections preferably have the feet formed rigid therewith and the body of the figure may be covered by suitable garments which will not interfere with the proper movement of the arms and legs. As shown, there is a vest or coat 18, which covers the body and extends down a suificient distance to cover the hip joints and a cape 19, which covers the shoulder joints. The upper leg sections are connected to the body by inter-engaging staples 20 of metal. These staples are driven into the ends of the wooden sections and sullicieut freedom of movement is permitted to enable the leg sections 12 and 13 to be raised bodilv a short distance to bring each staple into engagement with the other wooden block.

Th lower leg sections are connected to the upper leg sections by similar staples 21, which permit a free movement and the lower leg sections to be raised vertically to bring each staple into engagement with the wood of the opposite leg section. The arms are connected to the body by similar staples 22, but these are arranged so that the arms will have a particular swing. The body 1s rounded off at the shoulders and each staple which goes into the body to secure an arm in place is driven into the upper side of the shoulder so that the upper end of the arm enga es with the shoulder and each arm extends outwardly at an angle. The staples are driven into the body slightly in advance of the center so that as the arms swing forwardly they may approach each other. Furthermore, each arm in swinging forward will have a rolling engagement with the body so that the arms apparently rotate upon their own aXes as they swing forward. This movement is very realistic and simulates a clapping of the hands. Unless the figure is agitated violently the hands will not be brought together, but they are caused to approach each other as they swing forwardly as previously stated.

Below the figure is a thin platform 23, upon which the figure stands. The means employed for supporting this platform and supporting the figure embodies an important feature of my invention as it enables the toy to be made very cheaply and at the same time operates very efiiciently. The figure itself is supported by the spring 24 which is preferably of steel wire. The upper end of the spring is bent at an angle and driven into the back of the figure and adjacent this end is a staple 25 for more effectively holding the spring to the body and preventing it from working loose. The spring at its lower ends is also bent substantially at rightangles and driven into the rear side of the base 10 and a staple 26 is driven into the base just above this lower end to rigidly hold the spring and prevent it from rotating about its lower end portion. The platform is supported by a spring 27 in place and prevents this spring from turning or working loose. The spring 27 at its upper end is connected to the lower surface of the platform by a block 28 which ,is glued, tacked or otherwise securedv to the platform. The spring is received between the block and the platform and preferably lies within a shallow groove within the block as clearly illustrated in the drawing, thus no special securing means need be employed for fastening the spring to the platform. The main object of the block 28 is to give the platform the proper mass so that when the platform is pressed down by the finger and then released itwill fly upwardly and strike the feet of the figure with the proper momentum and will continue to vibrate. The figure and platform are so supported in respect to each other that the weight of the lower leg sections will be supported by the platform instead of by the staples 21. Thus when the platformis depressed the lower leg sections will fall and the staples 21 will be brought together to produce a metallic sound. As the platform swings upwardly it will strike the feet to produce a second sound and the leg sections will be bodily raised to strike each staple against the opposite upper leg section and produce a third sound. This combination of sounds is found to imitate very closely the sounds produced by the clog dancer with wooden shoes, although, of course, the sound is by no means as loud.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A dancing toy having a support, a figure including a plurality of movingsections, a member for directly connecting said figure to said base, a platform beneath said figure and movable into and out of engagement therewith, a weight secured to the under surface of said platform and a spring having one end secured to said base and having the opposite end secured between said weight and said platform.

2. A dancing toy having a base, a figure including a body, leg sections connected thereto and movable in respect thereto, arm sections and connections between said arm sections and said body, said connections including interengaging staples disposed above the shoulders of the body whereby the arms may have a swinging and rolling movement, a vibratory platform below said leg sections a spring connecting said platform to said base and a spring connecting said body to said base. v

3. A dancing toy having a wooden base provided with an aperture in the rear side thereof, a figure including a plurality of relatively movable parts, a platform above said base and beneath said figure, a spring having the upper end thereof secured to said figure and having the lower end portion adjacent to the rear side of said base and the terminal portion bent at right angles and extending into said aperture, a second spring having the upper end secured to said platform and having the lower end portion adjacent to the lower end portion of the first-mentioned spring and in engagement with the rear side of said base and entering said aperture, and a single fastening member for securing both of said lower end portions to said base above said aperture and retaining said terminal portions within said aperture.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHAS. w. CLARK. Witnesses C. W. FAIRBANK, W. C. CAMPBELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

